Match making machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. GETZ.

MATCH MAKING MACHINE..

No. 398,322. P/atented Feb. 19, 1889.

( MAW 8 [1 u M lll llllil Ill MMM'

MTS G 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GETZ.

MATCH MAKING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

310.398.322'. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

3 `Smets-Sheen 3,

(No Model.)

W. GHZ.

MATCH MAKING MACHINE.

Patented-Peb. 19, 1889.

WHA/5885s N. PETERS, FlmimLillmgrpher, Wnshngwn, D. C.

`necessary in supplying the wooden blocks and iran @raras ATENT OFFICE..l

lVlLLlAill GETZ, OF KENT, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-TI-IIRDS T O J'AMESB. MILLER AND VERNON E. UNDERVVOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

MATCH-MAKING MACHINE.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,322, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed January 3, 1888.

To @ZZ whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM GETZ, of Kent, in the county ot' Portage and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Making Machines; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertai-ns to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in match-making machines in which a series of traveling knife-heads are mounted on and pi votally connected with a suitable motor such, for instance, as an endless belt-or wheel of large diameter, as the case may be, each knifehead having attached a series of knives adapted to cut match-splints from blocks of wood and to retain and carry such splints along with the knives as the latter are carried around the machine with the belt or wheel, with the arrangement of parts such that the successive knife-heads are folded against the motor while cutting the splints, and after the cutting the kn ite-heads turn on their pivotal axes by gravity to a depending position to cause the protrud ing en ds of the match-splints to engage the chemical, the length of the belt or the circumference of the wheel, whichever maybe used, bein g such, together with the moderately-slow movement necessary, that the matches are dried in passing around the machine, the dried matches being displaced from the knives by means of the splints being severed at the next cutting operation of the respective knives, the finished matches being carried by a belt and discharged from thence into boxes, to the end that an automatic machine is had requiring, in the main, only such attendance as is removing the matches in boxes.

My invention also relates to details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of an endless-belt machine embodying my invention. The following-described figures are in detail and enlarged: Figs. Q and 3 are respectively rear and front side elevations of the upper portion of the feed box or standard D and attachments, portions being' broken away to show the constructions and reduce the size of these figures.

Serial No. 259,604. (No model.)

Fig. 4 is an elevation in transverse section on the line a fr, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of yoke and knife-head C and attachment, showing knives and match-splints in position. Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of yoke and knife-head. Fig. 7 is a rear side elevation of the lower portion of standard D, showing more especially the feed-rolls and connected gearing; and Fig. 8 is anelevation taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and l0 are elevations in section taken at right angles to each other, showing the construction of a friction-clutch forming a part of the feed mechanism. Figs. ll and l2 are elevations in detail, hereinafter described; and Fig. 13, a view in perspective of a section of a wheel having a yoke attached.

A A represent band-wheels, on which operates the band a, the latter being preferably of metal and of considerable length and of about eight or ten inches (more or less) in width, according to the size of the machine. At intervals of, say, about eight or ten inches, more or less, are riveted or otherwise secured crosswise of the belt, yokes E, to which latter are pivotally connected the respective knife-heads or knife-holders, C, the pivotal axes thereof extending crosswise ot' the belt, with the relation of parts such that the respective knife-heads may be folded against the belt, or may be turned to a position perpendicular to the belt. Yokes l are pierced laterally for screws b, the latterbeing provided with lock-nuts b. The ends of these screws, entering correspondin g depressions or seats, C', in the ends of the knife-heads, form pivotal bearings for the respective knifeheads. By adjusting screws b the knifeheads may be brought to a central position crosswise of the belt, and by loosening one otl these screws a knife-head may be quickly removed and it or another knife-head inserted without losing the adjustment crosswise of the belt. Alternate yokes B outside the line of the belt are provided with lugs B for operating the feed mechanism, these lugs being preferably of hardened steel.

Knife-heads C are preferably wroughtmetal bars about an inch (more or less) in thickness and of suitable length, according (See Fig. 5.) The to the width of the belt.

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knife-head in width should be something less than the length of the matches, and if the latter are of the usual length-two and a half inches-a suitable width of a knife-head would be about two or two and a quarter inches. Each knife-head has a series of slits, C2, cut through and through and extending crosswise of the knife-head from the front edge thereof to near the rear edge, in which slits the knives C are respectively inserted.

The knife-heads are provided with removable steel plates C3, and at least the forward ends of these plates had better be hardened to resist wear. Each knife-head, near the lower forward corner, (see Fig. 4,) is provided with a longitudinal hole, c2, to receive a small bolt, c3, for clamping the knives. The knives are of thin plates of steel of perhaps a half-inch (more or less) in width, and bent, preferably, to about the form shown in Fig. 12. The respective legs c of a knife are inserted in next adjacent slits C2 of a knife-head, the legs fitting snugly in the slits, and by tightening bolts c3 the series of knives are clamped and firmly held in place, the bow or central portion of each knife protruding below the knifehead far enough to engage, and in shape being adapted to cut a match-splint from an opposing block of wood. NVith such arrangement the different knives are separated the one from the other the distance between adjacent slits C2, and consequentlythe knives of 4 the knife-head only cut away about one-half of the surface of the wooden block at a cutting, such cuttings'and the remaining ridges between being shown at f and f', Fig. 2, F F

- representing the wooden blocks. The different knife-heads are set so that the knives thereof travel between the paths of the preceding knives, the one set of knives cutting notches f in the block, and the next following knife cutting away the ridges f. The blocks, therefore, only require feeding with every second cutting; hence the arrangement aforesaid of lugs B on alternate yokes B.

rIhe feed-box and mechanism for feeding the wooden blocks F to the knives are as follows: The feed-box consists, preferably, of a hollow standard, D, the inclosed chamber D thereof being adapted to receive the wooden blocks F loosely. The latter are placed by. hand into the feed-box from below and are fed up to the knives by feed-rolls H II and I I, arranged in pairs, as hereinafter described. Standard D is inclined in the direction crosswise of the belt, preferably at about an angle of forty-five degrees from. a perpendicular line, the walls of the standard at the upper end thereof terminating in a horizontal plane near the belt a. Standard D, on what I will term the rear side thereof, is provided with inclines D2, that engage plates C3 of the passing knife-head, and turn the latter on its axis from a depending position and fold it against the belt, in which latter position the knifehead is held during the cutting by means of plates C3, moving along on the end walls of standard D.

On the front side of the standard is located the clamping-j aw E, the latter being pivoted at d to the standard, the pivotal line and up- Y per edge of the jaw leading, of course, horizontally and crosswise of the belt. The upper portion, E', of the jaw is offset rearward, so as to something more than overlap the front wall of the standard, (see Fig. 4,) by means of which the jaw is enabled to engage blocks F and press the latter against the rear walls of the standard, thus clamping the blocks and holding them firmly during the cutting, the jaws being held in such engagement of the block by means of one or more strong springs, E2, located approximately, as shown. rlhe upper surface of the rear wall of the standard at d just clears the passing knives, while the upper portion of the clamping-jaw is directly in the path of the knives, and the jaw supports the wood, and thereby prevents the latter from splitting until the knives are within, perhaps, a sixteenth or a thirty-secondth of an inch from the jaw, whereupon the forward ends of plates C3, that are atrifle in advance of the knives, engage the jaw and turn the latter forward and downward out of the way of the knives and hold it in such depressed position during the passage of the knife-head past the jaw.- The jaw, when left free, is returned by the recoil of spring l2 to its engagement with the wooden blocks. The j aw is provided with a forwardlyprojecting arm, D", and this arm, at the free end thereof, is connected with pitman G, for actuating the feed mechanism. The pitman has a slot, g, in which the pivotal pin c operates, the length of slot g being such as to accommodate, without moving the pitman, the movement of arm E3, caused by the engagement of plates CS with jaw E, and consequently, with the lugs B omitted, the jaw E returns to its clamping position without actuating the feed mechanism. The lugs B', that, as aforesaid, are only connected with alternate yokes B, in passing depress the jaw still farther, and thereby actuate the feed mechanism, and these lugs engage the j awbefore plates C:E draw off from the jaw. The jaw E, being' preferably of cast-iron on account of the cheapness of this material, would soon be worn away by its engagement with lugs B and plates C3, and to prevent this I detachably secure hardened steel blocks C4 to the upper edge and extremes of the jaw, such hardened blocks having sections e', adapted to engage plates C3, and sections c2, adapted to engage lugs B. (See Figs. 2, 3, and l.) As shown in Figs. l and 5, plates C3 do not extend rearward as far as the match-splints K, and consequently would not hold up the knife-head until the splints were clear of the jaw, and as it is not desirable to extend these plates C3 rearward of the knife-head, I extend sections e aforesaid forward of the jaw, as shown in Fig.

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at, by reason of which, when plates C3 draw out of sections e, the knife-head will have ad vanced so far that the match-splints will clear the jaw, when the knife-head turns down by gravity. Feed-rolls l-I H and I I are arranged in pairs and on opposite sides of chamber D, these rollers having the same inclination as standard D. The upper rollers, H H, are grooved, tinted, or otherwise constructed to indent the ends of the wood to prevent the possibility of their slipping on the wood, thus causing a positive movement of the blocks F. The lower rollers have smooth surfaces and engage the wooden blocks with only sufficient force to carry up the block within their grasp to the upper rollers. The lower rollers are geared to feed considerably faster than the .sitions upper rollers, so that there may be no vacant spaces left between the successive blocks as they are fed from the upper rollers, the lower rollers at times slipping more or less on the block within their grasp to accommodate the difference in the feed of the two sets of rollers.

The feed-rollers maybe geared in any suitable manner, the gearing shown being as follows: On the trunnions at one end of rollers 'II lI are mounted engaging twin gears ZL 7i, and on one of these trunnions is mounted gear ZL, the latter engaging gear J. On the trunnions of rollers I I are mounted engaging twin gears if t, and on one of these trunnions is mounted gear i', the latter also engaging gear J, the gears 7L and t" `being diagonally opposite each other. Gear J and bevel-gear JAL are mounted on and keyed fast to the same shaft, gear J1L engaging bevel-gear J the latter having a horizontal axis. This system of gearing gives the necessary directions to the different rollers. Gear J on the one face thereof, is provided with an annular chamber, J 2, the circumferential wall j of which is concentric with the axis of this gear and forms the female member of the frictionclutch. A hub, L, operates in this chamber, the hub being integral or connected with arm L', and the latter in turn being connected with the lower end of pitman` G. Hub L and gear J are preferably mounted loose on the same spindle. Hub L is provided with seats Z, adapted to receive the rounded inner end of arms Z. These arms are a trifle too long to assume radial positions in the chamber, and the outer ends of these arms are dressed to iit wall or rim j when the arms are at their nearest approximation to radial po- Light springs l2 are connected with the hub and respectively engage arms Z and hold the latter in contact with rim j. The arrangement of parts is such that when arm L is depressed arms Z tighten on or clutch .rim j and actuate the feed mechanism, and

while arm L is being elevated arms Z slide back on rim 7' without moving gear J.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the feed mechanism is actuated only when jaw E is depressed by its engagement with lu I.

I will state here that the frictioncluteh just described is an old device. It is, however, well adapted to the purpose, but is not .considered essential, as doubtless other friction-clutches or mechanism other than friction-clutches would answer the purpose. By reason of the inclination of the feed-box, as aforesaid, whereby the blocks F are inclined to the line of jaw E, the latter will hold a block so long as a small fraction of the lower corner of the block remains, and consequently but little wastage is had in the block.

In cutting the match-splints the latter are crowded into the knives and thereby securely held, the rear end of the splints projecting some little distance rearward of the knifehead. Zhen the knife-head and attachments are free from jaw E, the knife-head tilts downward by gravity, so that what was the rear end of the match-splints becomes the lower ends of the same, the lower end of these splints depending some little distance below the knife-head and in such position that the lower end of the splints are brought in contact with the chemical. This may be done in various ways, but preferably as shown, towit: M is a trough containing the chemicals used, and in this trough operates drum or wheel m. The latter had better be covered with cloth or other soft material that will carry up the chemicals freely, the drum being rotated in the direction of the arrow. The top of the drum is at such elevation that the lower end of the match-splints will drag across the surface of the drum and thus be coated with the chemical. From the fact that the matches are separated the one from the other a distance equal to the thickness of a match, it is evident that the matches will not be stuck together by applying the chemicals, as is frequently the case with matches made as heretofore. More or less of the splints that are cut from the extremities of the block will only partially fill the knives, and such fractional splints will likely fall out of the knives when the knife-head is turned downward, so that the splints are in amanner assorted before the chemicals are applied, and any splints that are large enough to maintain their position in the knives will be large enough for serviceable matches.

Of the different chemicals used in manufacturing matches some dry quickly, others more slowly, and the length of the belt ordinarily is supposed to be such that the matches will be dried in passing around the machine.

The matches are punched out of the knives by the splints being cut, and the matches fall upon or between a series of V-shaped bars, N, the same being arranged lengthwise of the machine with their apices presentingupward and with spaces u between the bases of these bars, through which spaces the matches pass and fall upon belt O, and by means of these V-shaped bars and openings between, the matches are delivered onto the belt O uniformly crosswise of the belt. The matches IOO IIO

are carried along bybelt O to one side of the machine and are discharged into box P, the latter resting on shelf p. A shallow hopper, R, having the same internal dimensions as box P, is supported above and close to the box, such hopper serving to retain the matches in the box when the operator levels down the matches by means of his fingers or otherwise as the box becomes nearly filled. The hopper also strikes off the matches from an overtilled box and discharges the latter into the empty box, the latter being shoved along the shelf to displace the box that isfilled. It will be seen, therefore, that about all the attention required is in supplying the wooden blocks and removing the matches in boxes, such labor being light and suitable` for children. In practice standard D should be placed directly under wheel A and between standards A2, and trough M should be placed as near as practicable to standard D. With such arrangement of parts there will be no vibration of the belt where the cutting is done. ln Fig. l these parts are shown farther separated for fear otherwise of complicating the drawings.

In case there is wanted what I call a wheelmachine, in contradistinction to the belt-machine already described-that is to say, where a single large wheel is used as a motor instead of the endless belt shown-the yokes B may be secured to the periphery of such wheel crosswise of the latter, and standard D should be located approximately under the center of the wheel, and the device for applying Jthe chemicals should be located in close proximity to standard D.

In Fig. 13 is shown at WV a section of a wheel having a yoke, B, attached. The gist of my invention and the details of construction in carrying out the invention are substantially the same whether a belt or single wheel is used for a motor; and, having de scribed the belt-machine in detail, ordinary workmen, having such description and the accompanying drawings, will have no difficulty in constructing the wheel-machine, more especially as large wheels and long belts rcspectively suitable for the purpose are equally well known. These two varieties of machines have respectively peculiar advantages under different circumstances. Forinstance, a belt-machine requires a long floor space, while a wheel-machine requires much less floor-space. On the other hand, a beltmachine could be accommodated in one ordinary story of a building, while a wheel-machine would likely require at least two ordinary stories. Again, if an air-blast is used in drying the matches while the latter are passing around the machine, such air-blast can be better applied to a wheel-machine using a suitable hood over the top of the wheel, and the same may be said of a heating-chamber inclosing the upper portion of a wheel.

If heating-coils are used for the purpose,

such heating-coils can be applied with about equal advantage to either variety of machine.

What I-claim is- `l. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a suitable motor, wheel, or endless belt, as the case may be, of a knife-head pivotally connected with the motor, so as to fold against the motor or turn on its axis by gravity to a depending position perpendicular to the face of the motor, said knife-head having one or more knives adapted to cut match-splints from an opposing wooden block, with the knife-head in position folded against the motor, substantially as set forth.

2. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor and a knife-head pivotally connected with the motor, said knife-head having one or morev knives, substantially as indicated, of inclines and a feed-box adaptedto engage the passing knife-head and by such engagement fold and retain the knife-head against the motor during the cutting operation, substantially as set forth.

3. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor and folding knife-heads connected with the motor, substantially as indicated, of a feed-box having attached a spring-actuated clamping-jaw, the said knifeheads having attachments for engaging such clamping-j aw and by such engagement turning the latter on its axis out of the way of the passing knives, substantially as set forth.

4. In a matchmaking machine, the combination, with traveling knives and a clamping-j aw, substantially as indicated, of a feedbox inclined to the axis of the clamping-jaw, whereby the latter engages the wooden block diagonally, substantially as set forth.

5. In a match-making machine, the coinbination, with suitable feed mechanism, substantially as indicated, of a motor having attached a series of folding knifeeheads, each knife-head bearinga series of separate knives, the knives of one knife-head following between the tracks of the knives of the next preceding knife-head, substantially as set forth.

6. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor having a series of yokes connected therewith, each yoke bearing a folding knife-head, the knives of alternate heads following between the tracks of the knives of the intervening heads, of a feedbox having a clamping-jaw pivoted thereto, attachments of the knife-head for engaging and turning the clamping-jaw on its axis out of the Way of the passing knives, and attachments of alternate yokes for still further depressing the clamping-jaw to actuate the feed mechanism, substantially as set forth.

7 In a match-making machine, the combination,with a motor, yokes, knife-heads, clamping-jaw, and mechanism, substantially as indicated, for giving thelatter alternate longer and shorter movement on its axis, of feed IOO IIO

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mechanism connected with the clamping-jaw, such connection having a slip-joint, whereby thc feed mechanism is actuated only with the longer movement of the clamping-jaw, substantially as set forth.

S. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor, of a series of folding knife-heads mounted on the motor, each knifehead having a series of transverse slits for receiving the knives, a series of jaws connected with the knife-heads, and a bolt extending longitudinally through a hole in the knifehead for clamping the series of jaws connected with a knife-head, substantially as set forth.

A9. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor and folding knife-heads mounted on the motor, each knife-head having a series of transverse slits, substantially as indicated, of a series of substantially U- shaped knives mounted on each knife-head, the legs of the knives being inserted in the aforesaid slits with approximately equal lateral spaces respectively between and inside the knives, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a match-making machine, the combination, with a motor and a folding knife-head having knives adapted to cut and retain match-splints, of apparatus, substantially as described, for applying chemicals to the match-splii'its, such apparatus vbeing in the npath ofthe depending splints, substantially as set forth.

1l. In a match-making machine, the combination, With a motor, folding knife-heads, and knives, the latter being adapted to cutmatchsplints and carry the splints in an upright position, substantially as indicated, of a container for chemicals, and a revolving wheel operating in such container for feeding the chemicals to the match-splint, the top portion of such wheel being located in the pathway of the depending match-splints, substantially as set forth.

l2. In a match-making machine, the combination, with mechanism, substantially as indicated, for cutting match-splints, carrying the splints in contact with the chemicals, and discharging the dried matches from the cutting-knives, of an endless belt for carrying the matches from the machine, and a series of bars triangular in cross-section, with intervening spaces between the bars, such bars being arranged crossivise of the dischargingbelt, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two Witnesses, this th day of November, 1387.

' IVILLIAM GETZ. lVitnesses:

S. P. WoLcorr, MARK G. McCosLiN. 

